Former British swimmer Sharron Davies has reflected on her early Olympic experience, saying she sees no problem with China’s 12-year-old Yu Zidi competing at the highest level.
Yu became the youngest medallist at last month’s world championships in Singapore after winning bronze in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Davies noted that the young swimmer’s experience likely mirrored her own feelings when she competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics at the age of 13.
Davies recalled that, in her case, competing so young did not cause trauma or undue stress. She believed that younger athletes often feel less pressure compared to older competitors facing the final stages of their careers. She suggested that Yu would have approached the event with a sense of excitement and viewed every achievement as an added bonus.
The former Olympic medallist, who won silver in the 400m Individual Medley at the 1980 Moscow Games, emphasised that early success can be invaluable. She argued that preventing a young athlete from competing purely because of age could be unfair, especially if unforeseen circumstances later ended their career.
Davies pointed out that age limits are often applied to less elite athletes, but exceptional talent should be an exception. She mentioned British diver Tom Daley, who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics at just 14, as an example of a young athlete thriving at the top level.
Reflecting on changes in sports over the years, Davies said today’s athletes have access to better medical care, planned rest periods, and more supportive training regimes — a contrast to her own career, when time off was rare. She shared a personal story of breaking both arms at 11, continuing training with her casts covered in plastic bags, and receiving little recovery time.
She concluded that the sporting world has learned many lessons about athlete welfare but maintained that, in the case of remarkable young talents like Yu, opportunity should not be denied.